'/     ^ 


THE 

SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 


BY 

CONINGSBY  DAWSON 

Author  of  "  Carry  On."  "  Slave*  of  Freedom,"  "The  Raft, 
"The  Garden  Without  Walls."  etc. 


NEW  YORK 

HENRY  HOLT  AND  COMPANY 
1917 


COPYRIGHT.  1916, 

BY 
INTERNATIONAL  MAGAZINE  COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT,  igt7, 

BY 
HENRY  HOLT  AND  COMPANY 


Published  October,  1917 


THE    OUINN    *    »CDEH    CO.     KIM 
•AHWAT,    X.  4. 


THE 
SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 


SRLF 
.URL 


5137083 


THE    SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 


T  was  the  Seventh  Christ- 
mas. In  the  village  of 
Nazareth,  which  some 
say  means  '  Flowery," 
all  the  children  save  one  had  wak- 
ened that  morning  quite  unexcited 
and  without  any  hope  of  presents. 
Grown  people  had  gone  as  usual 
about  their  daily  work.  All  the 
shops  were  open.  No  one  felt  any 
kinder  than  was  ordinary.  No  one 
said,  "  Seven  years  ago  today  Jesus 
was  born  in  Bethlehem."  No  one 
had  forgiven  his  enemy,  for  it  was 
not  over  Nazareth  that  the  angels 

3 


4       THE   SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 

had  sung  "  Peace,  good-will  toward 
men."  Had  you  wandered  down  that 
quiet  village  street,  where  no  snow 
had  fallen  and  no  windows  were  dec- 
orated with  holly,  where  sandal- 
footed  girls  were  coming  out  from 
houses  balancing  pitchers  on  their 
heads,  you  would  never  have  guessed 
that  it  was  the  morning  of  the  Sev- 
enth Christmas. 

Even  in  the  carpenter's  cottage, 
where  the  little  Jesus  dwelt,  his  fa- 
ther and  mother  seemed  to  have  for- 
gotten. And  perhaps  his  father  had, 
for  bread  was  hard  to  earn.  But  his 
mother,  though  she  did  not  show  it, 
had  remembered.  On  this  day,  of  all 
days,  she  pondered  in  her  heart  the 
wonders  that  had  been  foretold  about 
her  son  at  his  birth.  On  this  day,  of 
all  days,  she  watched  for  the  angels 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS        5 

to  return.  But  the  wonders  were 
long  in  commencing,  and  had  she 
told  to  any  of  her  neighbors  the 
miracle  that  had  happened  at  Bethle- 
hem, they  would  have  thought  it  an 
idle  tale  she  had  invented. 

Though  she  had  remembered  that 
it  was  Jesus'  birthday,  she  was 
ashamed  to  own  it,  for  she  had  no 
present  for  him  and  scarcely  any  food 
in  the  house.  So,  when  the  one  child 
in  Nazareth,  the  only  child  in  all  the 
world  who  knew  that  it  was  Christ- 
mas, had  awakened  that  morning,  it 
had  seemed  to  him  that  the  world 
did  not  care.  At  first  he  was  disap- 
pointed; but  when  he  saw  the  trouble 
in  his  mother's  eyes,  he  sang  to  make 
her  glad. 

Before  the  day  was  ended  some- 
thing was  sure  to  happen;  something 


6       THE  SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

unexpected  always  did  happen  on  his 
birthdays.  Two  years  ago  a  shep- 
herd had  come  all  the  way  from 
Bethlehem,  a  four  days'  journey,  car- 
rying a  lamb  in  his  bosom.  Still 
longer  ago,  before  he  could  remem- 
ber, some  one  had  given  him  three 
golden  caskets.  His  mother  took  care 
of  them;  she  had  never  let  him  see 
inside  them,  and  she  had  never  told 
him  their  story.  His  father,  Joseph, 
had  been  offered  much  money  for 
them;  but  though  they  were  poor, 
his  mother  had  always  refused  to 
sell. 

All  day  he  had  waited  for  the  un- 
expected to  occur.  As  he  helped  his 
father  at  the  carpenter's  bench,  he 
watched  his  mother  seated  in  the 
doorway,  clad  in  her  striped  robe 
and  wrapped  in  a  white  linen  shawl 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS       7 

as  in  a  shroud.  Every  time  a  camel- 
train  shuffled  by,  stirring  up  the  dust 
on  the  road  to  Damascus,  he  could 
hear  the  coins  jingle  on  her  forehead. 
She,  too,  was  waiting — for  what,  he 
wondered. 

The  day  dragged  on.  There  was 
no  midday  meal.  His  seventh  birth- 
day, and  no  one  had  remembered! 
What  did  the  birthday  of  a  little  boy 
matter  when  times  were  so  hard  in 
Nazareth?  It  was  winter;  flowers 
had  perished  from  the  fields;  brooks 
were  white  with  dashing  water;  a 
bleak  look  was  over  everything,  and 
work  was  scarce.  Younger  carpen- 
ters were  always  passing  down  to  the 
coast-towns  with  the  caravans;  they 
were  glad  to  ply  their  trade  for  the 
smallest  hire.  Joseph  could  not  com- 
pete with  them.  He  could  no  longer 


8       THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

stoop  for  his  tools  or  move  quickly. 
If  no  one  was  at  hand  to  remember 
for  him,  he  would  often  make  mis- 
takes in  his  measurements;  then  all 
the  materials  that  he  had  worked 
upon  were  wasted.  So  Mary  used 
to  send  the  little  Jesus  with  Joseph 
when  people  wanted  to  give  him  or- 
ders for  doors,  and  milk-pails,  and 
beds,  and  chests.  But  because  he 
was  so  often  in  error,  they  wanted 
him  less  frequently;  when  they  did, 
they  beat  him  down  in  price,  because 
he  was  infirm. 

"  Ah,  friend  Joseph,"  they  would 
say,  "  thou  wast  once  a  good  carpen- 
ter before  thou  didst  journey  into 
Egypt.  The  hot  roads  robbed  thee 
of  thy  strength.  If  thou  hadst  only 
stayed  in  Nazareth " 

As  Joseph  turned  away,  the  little 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS        9 

Jesus  would  look  up  into  his  dim  eyes 
and  question,  "  Why  didst  thou  not 
stay  in  Nazareth,  father?  " 

And  his  father  would  reply,  as 
though  defending  himself,  "  It  was 
for  thy  sake  that  I  went." 

"And  did  I  go  with  thee?  And 
was  it  there  that  they  did  give  me 
the  golden  caskets?" 

But  the  old  man  would  shake  his 
head.  "  Perchance  it  was  a  dream. 
When  thou  art  a  man  thou  mightest 
laugh  at  me  if  to-day  I  were  to 
tell." 

Because  Joseph  was  so  old,  there 
were  times  when  he  would  fall  asleep 
over  his  work;  he  gave  the  little  Jesus 
orders  always  to  stay  near  him  to 
awake  him.  Then  Jesus  would  try 
to  bring  comfort,  saying,  "  I  will 
grow  up  quickly,  father;  when  I  am 


io     THE  SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

a  man  thou  shalt  rest."  But  his 
mother,  who  was  young  and  more 
beautiful  than  any  of  the  mothers  of 
Nazareth,  would  show  fear  at  his 
words  and  clasp  him  to  her,  whisper- 
ing, "  Nay,  little  son,  thou  shalt  be 
a  child  for  long  years  yet." 

So  it  had  gone  on,  and  as  Joseph's 
strength  had  failed  him  they  had 
grown  poorer  till  now,  on  the  Sev- 
enth Christmas,  there  was  no  food 
left  in  the  carpenter's  house.  All  day 
Joseph  had  toiled  ceaselessly  and 
Jesus  had  done  his  best  to  help,  that 
the  ox-yoke  might  be  finished  by 
evening  and  they  might  have  the 
money  to  buy  bread.  All  day  Mary 
had  sat  in  the  doorway  gazing  up 
and  down  the  sunlit  village  street, 
listening  and  watching.  At  times  she 
would  turn  her  eyes  into  the  shop 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      n 

and  ask  a  question:  "And  they  sang 
'  Glory  in  the  highest,'  so  the  shep- 
herds said.  Was  it  not  so,  Joseph?  " 

"  It  was  so,  if  we  did  not  dream 
it." 

He  answered  as  one  who  was  sure 
of  nothing;  as  he  bent  his  head,  his 
white  beard  caught  up  the  chips  that 
lay  upon  the  bench. 

"  But  the  gifts  from  the  East— the 
golden  caskets;  they  are  proofs.    We  ' 
still  have  them." 

"  Aye.  They  are  worth  a  king's 
ransom.  Merchants  going  down  to 
Damascus  would  purchase.  I  am 
very  weary,  Mary.  Wilt  thou  not 
consent?  If  we  were  to  sell " 

Her  eyes  rested  on  him  sorrow- 
fully— the  soft,  dark  eyes  of  a  woman 
who  had  lived  always  in  loneliness. 
"A  king's  ransom!  And  shall  we 


12      THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

sell  the  ransom  of  our  King  without 
his  knowing?  " 

She  turned  her  gaze  back  to  the 
village  street,  still  desperately  hop- 
ing. He  should  be  great.  He  should 
rule  over  nations  and  sit  upon  the 
throne  of  David.  That  was  what 
angels,  shepherds,  rich  strangers  had 
declared  in  Bethlehem  on  the  night 
of  his  birth.  Since  that  first  Christ- 
mas there  had  been  no  more  signs  or 
portents — only  escapes,  long  jour- 
neys and  uneventful  poverty.  It  was 
as  though  with  his  birth  the  clouds 
had  sealed  up  the  stairway  to  the 
heavens  and  God  had  forgotten.  No 
wonder  Joseph  was  half  persuaded 
that  all  the  prophecies  had  been 
imagined.  To  the  three  golden  cas- 
kets Mary's  faith  clung.  At  any 
moment  royal  messengers  might 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      13 

come  riding  from  Jerusalem  to  take 
her  son  away  and  crown  him.  Far 
down  the  road  through  bare  olive- 
groves,  she  would  see  the  smoke  of 
their  chariots.  She  had  the  little 
robe  ready,  which  she  had  worked 
for  him  secretly  in  silk  and  silver 
thread.  But  if  they  were  to  come 
and  the  caskets  were  sold,  how  would 
they  know  that  Jesus  was  the  king 
for  whom  they  were  seeking? 

And  yet  Joseph  was  weak  for  want 
of  bread.  With  the  money  that  mer- 
chants would  give  them  for  the  cas- 
kets they  might  live  all  their  lives  in 
plenty. 

Seeing  that  his  parents'  hearts  were 

troubled,  again  the  little  Jesus  sang, 

'The  Lord  is  my  shepherd;  I  shall 

not    want."     From    gray    hillsides, 

where    shepherds    sat    among    their 


14     THE  SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

flocks,  the  bleating  of  sheep  an- 
swered. Women  passing  by  to  draw 
water  at  the  well  and  lean  camel- 
drivers  of  a  halted  caravan  paused  to 
stare  in  at  the  carpenter's  shop,  ar- 
rested by  the  boy's  clear  singing. 
Their  glances  traveled  from  Jesus  to 
his  mother.  "  Blessed  art  thou  among 
women,"  their  eyes  said.  Then  Mary 
felt  rich,  though  she  was  hungry  and 
had  given  her  son  no  present. 

As  the  day  faded  and  shadows 
lengthened,  boys  gathered  about  the 
doorway,  crying  to  Jesus  to  come 
out  among  the  cypresses  and  play  at 
"  kings "  with  them.  He  smiled 
gravely  and  shook  his  head.  As  they 
went  away,  he  followed  their  voices 
out  past  the  threshing-floor  to  the 
wide,  sweet  silences  where  brooks 
babbled,  and  in  summer-time  the 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      15 

country  was  golden  with  oranges  and 
silver  with  the  quivering  leaves  of 
olives.  There,  had  he  gone  with 
them,  they  would  have  spread  their 
sheepskin  coats  for  a  throne  and  he 
would  have  sung  to  them.  They 
would  have  plaited  a  crown  and  set 
it  on  his  head  as  though  he  had  been 
Herod.  He  would  have  molded  spar- 
rows out  of  clay  for  them,  so  like  to 
life  that  it  seemed  he  had  but  to  toss 
them  in  the  air  for  them  to  spread 
their  wings  and  vanish.  When  eve- 
ning was  a  blue  smoke  blown  among 
the  sheepfolds  and  lights  were  twin- 
kling in  windows  of  Nazareth,  they 
would  have  brought  him  back,  riding 
on  their  shoulders  and  shouting  be- 
fore him.  But  the  ox-yoke  was  not 
yet  finished.  Their  voices  died  out  in 
the  distance. 


i6      THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

"  I  am  too  old.     I  cannot." 

The  tools  fell  from  Joseph's  hands. 
For  a  moment  he  swayed  above  the 
carpenter's  bench;  then,  gathering 
his  cloak  before  his  face,  he  slipped 
to  the  bed  of  shavings  that  strewed 
the  floor  and  slept. 

'  Thou  must  wake  him  as  he  did 
bid  thee,"  Mary  whispered. 

Jesus  bent  over  him.  "  He  is 
weary.  Would  that  I  were  a 
man;  then  would  I  finish  the  yoke 
myself." 

"  But  thou  art  still  a  child,  and 
there  is  no  bread  in  the  house.  Thou 
must  wake  him." 

Jesus  stood  up  and  spread  abroad 
his  arms;  the  shadow  of  the  cross  fell 
behind  him.  Mary  covered  her  eyes 
with  her  hands.  Jesus  ran  to  her  and 
threw  his  arms  about  her.  "  See,  I 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      17 

will  sit  beside  thee  and  protect  thee; 
but  he  shall  rest.  Hadst  thou  forgot- 
ten, mother? — this  day  I  am  seven 
and  nearly  a  man." 

"Little  one,  I  had  not  forgotten; 
but  all  day  my  heart  hath  ached  for 
thee.  I  have  nothing  that  I  can  give 
thee.  I  had  hoped  that  thou  hadst 
not  remembered." 

He  laid  his  face  against  her  breast. 
The  memory  of  the  cross  faded. 
Again  he  was  the  tiny  babe  with 
whom  she  had  fled  into  strange  coun- 
tries, seeing  nothing  of  the  perils  that 
beset  her  because  of  the  hopes  she 
had  had. 

Once  more  beneath  the  sunset  she 
cast  her  eyes  along  the  road,  watch- 
ing for  the  smoking  wheels  of  char- 
iots. The  road  was  empty;  the  heav- 
ens silent.  No  sign  save  the  cross 


i8     THE  SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

had  been  vouchsafed  to  her  of  the 
promised  splendors. 

Slowly,  like  sheep  following  into  a 
meadow,  the  stars  came  out.  One  by 
one,  in  windows  of  the  village  street, 
lights  were  extinguished.  The  clos- 
ing of  doors  and  rustling  of  lowered 
curtains  were  heard.  The  chill  of  the 
Eastern  December  night  crept  into 
the  air.  In  the  darkness,  at  the  back 
of  the  carpenter's  shop,  Joseph  slept. 
It  seemed  in  that  shuttered  world 
that  of  all  those  faithful  ones  who 
had  greeted  the  babe  at  Bethlehem 
she  alone  was  left  to  worship.  They 
had  given  him  gold  and  frankincense 
then;  but  now 

Did  he  slumber?  She  glanced 
down;  through  the  dusk  his  eyes 
were  gazing  up  at  her.  She  remem- 
bered her  own  girlhood  and  the  ex- 


THE  SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      19 

citement  of  her  birthdays.  He  should 
not  be  disappointed.  She  must  give 
him  something;  but  what,  when  she 
was  so  poor  that  she  could  not  even 
give  him  bread? 


II 


RT  thou  sleepy?" 

He  shook  his  head 
against  his  mother's 
breast.  He  had  been 
listening  to  the  bleating  of  the  sheep; 
it  was  like  waves  beating  among  the 
misty  hills.  Far  beyond  white  walls 
of  the  village,  as  far  as  eyes  could 
reach,  he  could  see  the  blur  of  sheep- 
folds,  the  glow  of  camp-fires  and  the 
shadowy  outlines  of  watchful  figures 
standing  crook  in  hand  beneath  the 
stars.  He  was  thinking  of  the  song 
that  had  been  with  him  all  day,  "  The 
Lord  is  my  shepherd;  I  shall  not 
want."  Lest  he  should  feel  the  cold, 
his  mother  drew  him  closer,  spread- 

20 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      21 

ing  her  linen  shawl  about  him  like  a 
tent. 

'  When  thou  playest  at  '  kings ' 
with  the  village  boys,  thou  art  al- 
ways the  King — is  it  not  so?"  she 
whispered.  "  I  will  tell  thee  the  story 
of  a  king  who  was  born  on  the  same 
day  as  thou  wast." 

"  Then  today  will  be  his  birth- 
day?" 

She  smiled  in  the  darkness.  '  To- 
day he,  too,  is  seven.  It  is  a  very 
marvelous  story." 

"A  true  story?" 

"  A  true  story,  but  so  marvelous 
that  thou  mightest  not  believe  it, 
were  it  not  I  who  told  thee." 

Jesus  remembered  Joseph's  words, 
"  When  thou  art  a  man  thou  might- 
est laugh  at  me  if  today  I  were  to 
tell  thee."  He  sat  very  breathless, 


22     THE  SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

for  he  knew  that  now  he  was  to  learn 
why  his  father  had  taken  that  long 
journey  into  Egypt.  And  he  thought 
that  if  he  listened  intently  he  might 
learn  whence  had  come  the  myste- 
rious golden  caskets,  which  his 
mother  would  not  sell  though  much 
money  had  been  offered. 

"  I,  Mary,  knew  the  mother  of  this 
King."  Her  lips  trembled  against 
his  cheek  and  her  voice  came  ten- 
derly. "  Doth  it  seem  strange  to 
thee,  little  Jesus,  that  thy  mother 
should  have  known  the  mother  of  a 
King?  Every  morning  and  evening 
with  the  village  girls  she  would  go 
to  draw  water  at  the  well.  As  she 
went  down  the  street  with  her  empty 
pitcher,  she  had  to  pass  a  carpenter's 
shop.  The  carpenter  would  pause  in 
his  work  to  smile  up  at  her;  some- 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      23 

times,  when  she  was  returning,  he 
would  lay  aside  his  tools  and  step 
out  to  gaze  after  her.  There  came 
a  day  when  he  took  the  pitcher  from 
her  hand.  '  It  is  too  heavy  for  thee/ 
he  said.  After  that,  whenever  he  saw 
her  returning,  he  would  carry  the 
brimming  pitcher  for  her.  But  this, 
all  this  was  before  the  King's  coming 
and  is  not  what  I  meant  to  tell  thee." 

She  ceased;  in  the  quiet  of  her 
heart  she  was  dreaming  to  herself 
that  part  of  the  story. 

"  One  evening,"  she  said,  "  when 
the  air  was  sweet  with  flowers,  she 
was  sitting  alone  in  her  garden.  In 
the  stillness  she  heard  a  rush  of 
wings,  like  to  the  sound  of  swallows 
darting.  With  the  sound  of  wings 
came  a  light  that  was  dazzling. 
When  she  looked  up,  standing  in  the 


24     THE  SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

path  before  her  was  an  angel  who 
had  been  sent  to  her  from  God." 

Jesus  pressed  against  her  eagerly. 
"And  did  he  tell  her  aught  of  the 
golden  caskets? " 

Mary  laughed  gently.  Remember- 
ing had  made  her  happy,  so  that  she 
had  forgotten  her  poverty.  Stoop- 
ing, she  kissed  the  uplifted  face. 
"  Nay,  be  patient.  The  golden  cas- 
kets come  later.  He  told  her  that 
she  should  be  the  mother  of  a  King 
and  that  among  women  she  should 
be  called  blessed;  for  the  King  when 
he  came  should  be  the  son  of  God, 
and  should  bring  love  into  the 
world." 

"  To  be  the  mother  of  a  King  must 
be  very  blessed."  The  little  boy 
spoke  gravely.  "  And  after  that, 
mother,  what  did  he  tell  her?" 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      25 

"  Spreading  his  wings,  he  flew 
away  till  the  flash  of  his  going  grew 
faint  above  the  palm-trees  in  the  gold 
of  the  sunset.  Next  morning  the 
carpenter  watched  for  her  to  pass; 
when  she  did  not  go  to  draw  water 
at  the  well,  he  came  in  search  of  her. 
She  was  still  sitting  where  the  angel 
had  left  her,  gazing  straight  before 
her;  for,  as  thou  sayest,  to  be  the 
mother  of  a  King  is  very  blessed,  but 
it  is  very  terrible  to  be  the  mother 
of  the  son  of  God.  Then  the  car- 
penter asked  her  why  she  had  not 
been  to  draw  water.  Now,  though 
he  was  a  good  man,  he  had  never 
seen  an  angel;  and  so,  when  she  told 
him " 

Behind,  in  the  darkness,  Joseph 
stirred.  "I  cannot,"  he  muttered; 
"  I  cannot."  In  his  dreams  he  was 


26     THE  SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

still  troubled  because  the  ox-yoke 
was  unfinished.  Through  the  shad- 
ows Mary  spoke  to  him.  Sighing 
like  a  child,  he  ceased  from  his  mut- 
tering and  slept  peaceably. 

"  And  because  he  had  never  seen 
an  angel?"  Jesus  questioned. 

Mary  turned  back  from  gazing  into 
the  dimness  of  the  shop.  ''  Because 
he  was  a  good  man,  he  came  to  un- 
derstand at  last.  Through  the  sum- 
mer, while  the  oranges  were  yellow- 
ing, they  lived  very  happily.  In  the 
evenings,  in  the  garden  where  the 
angel  had  appeared  to  her,  the  car- 
penter carved  a  royal  cradle,  with 
cherubim  upon  it,  and  s>he  wove  robes 
in  preparation  for  the  King's  com- 
ing. It  was  in  the  winter,  just  be- 
fore he  was  expected,  that  a  decree 
went  out  from  Caesar  Augustus  that 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      27 

all  the  world  should  go,  every  one 
to  his  own  city,  to  be  taxed.  Hav- 
ing closed  his  shop,  the  carpenter 
bought  an  ass  and  set  the  mother  of 
the  unborn  King  upon  it." 

"  Was  it  not  a  camel,  mother,  all 
covered  with  gold  and  purple,  such 
as  princes  from  far  countries  ride 
when  they  pass  through  Nazareth  to 
the  bazaar  at  Damascus?  " 

She  bowed  her  head.  It  was  the 
question  she  herself  would  have 
asked.  "  It  is  a  true  story,"  she  whis- 
pered, "  and  very  marvelous — more 
marvelous  as  it  goes  on.  The  mother 
of  God's  son  set  out  riding  on  an  ass 
and  the  carpenter  walked  beside  her 
with  his  staff.  Roads  were  thronged 
with  merchants  and  soldiers  and  car- 
avans— with  people  traveling  like  the 
carpenter,  every  one  to  his  own  city, 


28     THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

to  be  taxed.  As  the  mother  of  God's 
son  passed,  no  one  noticed  her.  Men 
in  the  fields  did  not  look  up  from 
their  ploughing.  Often  the  carpenter 
would  have  to  draw  the  ass  aside, 
lest  she  should  be  splashed  by  the 
wheels  of  a  chariot.  She  watched 
them  all;  she  had  never  known  that 
there  were  so  many  people  in  the 
world.  '  All  these  my  son  shall  rule/ 
she  thought. 

"  Through  the  rose  gardens  of 
Jericho  she  traveled,  till  on  the  fourth 
day,  as  the  sun  was  setting,  Jerusa- 
lem blazed  up  like  a  golden  temple. 
'  It  is  here  that  he  will  come  to  be 
crowned/  she  thought;  '  perchance  it 
is  here  he  will  be  born.' 

"  But  Jerusalem  was  crowded  and 
the  carpenter  had  kinsfolk  in  Bethle- 
hem, which  was  but  a  six  miles'  jour- 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS     29 

ney;  so,  though  she  was  weary  and 
the  ass  stumbled  in  his  steps  and  the 
carpenter's  feet  were  sore,  they  left 
the  domes  of  Jerusalem  behind  them 
and  hurried  on." 

Mary  sighed  at  the  remembered 
pain  of  that  Hebron  road,  the  jolting 
of  the  rough  track  through  the 
mountains  and  the  forlornness  of  her 
thoughts. 

Jesus  lifted  up  his  arms,  drawing 
down  his  mother's  face  to  him.  Thus 
they  sat  in  silence.  "  Had  I  been 
there,  I  would  have  helped  thee,"  he 
said  at  last. 

'Thou!"  She  peered  into  his 
eyes,  frightened  by  his  quietness. 
"  Little  Jesus,  thou  hast  guessed?  " 

It  was  as  though,  beneath  the  gay 
seriousness  of  his  childishness,  he 
had  always  known  that  he  was  the 


30     THE   SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 

son  of  God.  The  earthly  mother 
in  her  shrank  from  the  thought,  as 
she  had  shrunk  from  the  shadow  of 
the  cross.  It  made  him  too  little  hers 
in  making  him  so  largely  God's. 

'  There  is  much  that  thou  canst 
not  understand,"  she  faltered.  "  Some 
day,  when  thou  art  older " 

"  Yet  tell  me,"  he  pleaded.  "  Am 
I  not  nearly  a  man?  Today  I  am 
seven." 

'  Yea,  today  thou  art  seven  and  I 
have  no  present  for  thee;  therefore 
I  will  tell  thee.  It  was  growing  dark 
as  we  climbed  up  to  Bethlehem;  far 
away  in  the  clouds,  like  a  white  pal- 
ace hewn  from  the  moonlight,  it 
shone.  Every  window  was  illumined 
and  all  along  the  road  we  met  travel- 
ers turning  back.  '  There  is  no 
room/  they  called  to  us,  *  no  room/ 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      31 

But  Joseph  pressed  forward,  for  he 
had  kinsfolk  living  there;  he  thought 
they  would  take  pity  on  my  neces- 
sity. We  came  to  the  last  ascent  and 
the  gateway;  we  entered.  He  went 
from  door  to  door,  inquiring  for 
shelter,  that  I  might  find  rest.  His 
kinsfolk  and  friends  with  one  accord 
began  to  make  excuses :  '  If  we  had 
but  known  of  thy  coming:  if  thou 
hadst  but  arrived  earlier.'  Even  at 
the  inn  there  was  no  place  left  for 
us.  When  my  strength  was  gone, 
hard  by  the  courtyard  of  the  inn  we 
found  a  cave  in  the  rocks,  where  cat- 
tle were  stalled.  The  kindly  beasts 
made  way  for  us  and  there,  on  such 
a  starry  night  as  this  is,  thou — thou 
who  shalt  be  ruler  over  all  the  world, 
wast  born." 

He  raised  himself  in  her  lap,  lean- 


32      THE   SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 

ing  against  her  breast  and  turning 
her  face  toward  him.  "  Dost  thou 
believe  it?  " 

Again  the  question  that  oppressed 
her  heart!  "Why  dost  thou  ask?" 

His  child's  eyes  reached  up  to  hers 
through  the  dark.  :<  Because  we  are 
poor." 

"  I  was  poor  then."  Her  voice 
broke  and  sank.  "  I  was  Mary  of 
Nazareth  as  I  am  now.  Ah,  but  I 
believed  it,  for  there  were  signs,  and 
portents,  and  wonders  in  the  heav- 
ens! Yea,  and  I  still  believe  it. 
Have  I  not  treasured  all  these  memo- 
ries in  my  heart?  I  wrapped  thee 
in  swaddling  clothes  and  laid  thee  in 
a  manger  because  there  was  no  room 
for  thee  in  the  abodes  of  men — no 
room  for  the  son  of  God !  Come  near 
to  me,  little  Jesus.  When  I  hold 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      33 

thee  so  I  can  still  believe  that  I, 
Mary  of  Nazareth,  am  rich  and 
blessed.  For  seven  long  years,  as 
many  years  as  thou  art,  I  have  kept 
silent;  but  now  I  will  tell  thee. 

'  There  were  shepherds  in  the 
fields  of  Bethlehem,  keeping  watch 
over  their  flocks  that  night.  Dost 
thou  remember  how  one  of  them 
came  to  Nazareth,  a  four  days'  jour- 
ney, bringing  thee  a  lamb  in  his 
arms?  And  lo,  as  they  watched  their 
flock,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came 
upon  them,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
shone  round  about  them:  and  they 
were  sore  afraid.  And  the  angel 
said  unto  them,  '  Fear  not.  For,  be- 
hold I  bring  unto  you  good  tidings 
of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all 
nations.  For  unto  you  is  born  this 
day  in  the  city  of  David  a  Saviour 


34     THE   SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 

which  is  Christ  the  Lord.  And  this 
shall  be  a  sign  unto  you:  ye  shall 
find  the  babe  wrapped  in  swaddling 
clothes  and  lying  in  a  manger/ 

"  And  suddenly  there  was  with  the 
angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly 
host,  praising  God  and  saying, 
'  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on 
earth  peace,  good-will  toward  men.' 

"  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  the  angels 
were  gone  away  into  heaven,  the 
shepherds  said  one  to  another, 
*  Let  us  now  go  even  unto  Bethle- 
hem, and  see  this  thing  which  is 
come  to  pass,  which  the  Lord  hath 
made  known  unto  us.'  And  they 
came  with  haste  and  found  thee  lying 
in  the  manger. 

"  Scarcely  had  they  departed  when 
a  great  clamor  of  trumpets  rose  upon 
the  night,  and  the  sound  of  men 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      35 

beating  upon  doors  and  demanding, 
'  Where  is  he  that  is  born  King  of 
the  Jews?  We  have  seen  his  star  in 
the  East  and  are  come  to  worship.' 
"  So  Joseph  stepped  out  from  the 
cave  among  the  rocks  and  looked 
down  into  the  courtyard.  There  he 
saw  a  train  of  camels,  caparisoned  in 
gold  and  purple,  like  to  the  camels 
on  which  princes  ride  when  they  go 
through  Nazareth  to  the  bazaar  at 
Damascus.  And  from  all  their  necks 
hung  bells  that  tinkled,  and  the  men 
who  sat  upon  them  waved  torches. 
So  great  was  the  company  that  it 
spread  like  a  river  beneath  the  city 
gate  and  far  down  the  hill.  At  the 
head  of  it  rode  three  kings  with  shin- 
ing crowns,  and  their  servants  beat 
upon  the  doors  and  shouted,  '  Where 
is  he  that  is  born  King  of  the  Jews? 


36      THE   SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 

We  have  seen  his  star  in  the  East 
and  are  come  to  worship.' 

'  Then  the  householders  rose  from 
sleep  and  looked  out  from  their  win- 
dows. 'There  hath  been  no  king  in 
Bethlehem,  my  lords,  since  David.' 

"  And  the  master  of  the  inn  opened 
his  door,  lest  his  guests  should  be 
disturbed  and  made  angry.  '  No  king 
hath  been  born  in  Bethlehem,'  he 
said,  '  but,  perchance,  in  Jerusalem 
it  may  have  happened.' 

"  Then  the  three  lords  lifted  up 
their  arms  and  pointed.  '  It  hath 
led  us  from  the  East,'  they  chanted; 
*  for  many  nights  it  hath  moved  be- 
fore us/ 

"  And  while  they  yet  spake,  a  star 
was  let  down  from  heaven  and  came 
to  rest  like  a  lantern  above  the  cave 
where  thou  wast  lying. 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      37 

"  '  It  is  naught  but  a  hole  in  the 
rocks  where  beasts  are  stalled,'  said 
the  innkeeper. 

"  But  when  the  three  kings  saw 
the  star,  they  rejoiced  with  exceeding 
great  joy  and  made  haste  to  descend 
from  their  camels.  And  when  they 
were  come  into  the  cave  and  saw  thee 
lying  in  my  arms  as  I  sat  among  the 
oxen,  they  fell  on  their  faces  and 
worshipped. 

"  '  My  lords,  whence  are  ye  come 
to  me? '  I  asked. 

"  Then  they  uncovered  their  faces. 
And  I  saw  that  one  was  a  boy, 
smooth  of  face  and  ruddy  of  counte- 
nance. And  one  was  a  man  in  the 
power  of  his  strength,  tanned  by  the 
desert  antf  black-bearded.  One  was 
white  as  snow,  with  eyes  that  blazed 
like  fires,  and  so  old  that  his  voice 


38      THE   SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 

was  like  a  reed  shaken.     And  it  was 
he  who  answered. 

"  'Mother  of  mothers,  from  the 
East  have  we  journeyed  and  all  the 
gods  of  Persia  have  called  thee 
blessed.  Long  have  we  waited  for 
thy  son  to  be  born,  for  our  prophet, 
Zoroaster,  foretold  his  coming;  and 
we  have  a  book,  which  bears  the 
name  of  Seth  the  son  of  Adam, 
wherein  all  things  are  written  con- 
cerning the  star.  And  in  the  land 
of  Persia  we  have  a  temple,  in  which 
are  kept  the  images  of  our  gods  and 
goddesses.  On  the  night  on  which 
the  star,  long  awaited,  appeared,  all 
our  gods  and  goddesses  were  heard 
talking  together;  in  the  morning 
when  we  entered  the  temple,  all  the 
images  were  fallen  on  their  faces. 
Then  we  rode  forth,  following  the 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      39 

star.     Hither  we  have  come  bearing 
presents.' 

'  Then  three  slaves  appeared,  each 
standing  behind  his  lord  and  bearing 
in  his  arms  a  golden  casket.  And 
the  oldest  lord  took  from  his  slave 
his  casket  and  lifted  therefrom  a 
crown,  which  he  set  upon  thy  fore- 
head, saying,  *  This  crown  I  give 
unto  thee  for  Power.  The  gold 
whereof  it  is  made  consisteth  of 
thirty  pieces,  which  were  a  funeral 
offering  unto  Adam.  It  was  carried 
with  his  body  in  the  Ark,  and  after- 
ward was  coined  by  Terah.  It  was 
for  these  pieces,  also,  that  Joseph  was 
sold  into  Egypt  by  his  brethren. 
Next  they  were  paid  as  tribute  unto 
Pharaoh  and  with  them  Joseph 
bought  from  Sheba  the  perfumes  for 
the  body  of  his  father,  Jacob.  In 


40     THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

after  times  the  Queen  of  Sheba  made 
a  present  of  them  unto  Solomon,  and 
so  they  remained  at  Jerusalem  till 
Israel  was  carried  captive  into  Baby- 
lon. Now  that  thou  art  come,  the 
East  yields  them  back  to  thee.' 

"  Then  the  second  lord,  who  was 
black-bearded,  took  from  his  slave 
his  casket;  and  when  he  had  opened 
it  there  stole  forth  a  sweet  fragrance. 
'  This  frankincense,'  he  said,  and  his 
voice  was  like  a  strong  wind  blow- 
ing, '  the  East  yields  unto  thee  for 
worship.' 

'  Then  the  third  lord,  who  was 
smooth  of  face,  with  the  foreboding 
of  youth  in  his  eyes,  took  tremblingly 
from  the  hands  of  his  slave  his  cas- 
ket, and  his  voice  was  like  the  weep- 
ing of  a  woman." 

Mary  fell   silent.     Slowly,  one  by 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      41 

one,  her  tears  crept  down  till  they 
fell  upon  the  face  of  Jesus. 

"Mother,  tell  me — nay,  mother, 
thou  didst  promise." 

"'From  the  East,'  he  said,  'I 
bring  thee  myrrh,  which  signifieth 
Death — a  gift  to  every  man  of 
woman  born/ 

'  Then  they  each  one  took  thee  in 
their  arms  and  gazed  very  wonder- 
ingly.  On  account  of  the  smallness 
of  my  means,  I  gave  unto  them  one 
of  thy  swaddling-bands,  which  those 
great  lords  received  with  every  mark 
of  reverence.  And  when  they  had 
bidden  thee  farewell,  they  would  not 
go  into  the  inn  because  it  had  refused 
to  give  thee  shelter;  but  they  teth- 
ered their  camels  in  the  courtyard 
and  they  raised  their  tents  beneath 
the  stars.  While  they  slept,  an 


42      THE   SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 

angel  appeared  unto  them,  saying, 
'  Get  thee  up,  and  depart  swiftly  an- 
other way.'  So  they  arose  and  set 
out  for  the  ships  at  Tarshish;  by 
morning  they  were  gone.  And  the 
same  angel  spake  unto  Joseph  in  a 
dream,  '  Arise.  Take  the  young  child 
and  escape  into  Egypt;  for  Herod 
will  seek  the  young  child  to  destroy 
him.' 

"  And  we  straightway  fled,  taking 
with  us  the  golden  caskets.  As  we 
hurried  along,  I  riding  on  the  ass 
and  Joseph  walking  with  his  staff, 
soldiers  came  marching  from  Jeru- 
salem and  entered  into  Bethlehem, 
inquiring  diligently  for  a  holy  child 
which  had  been  born.  And  when 
they  found  thee  not,  they  put  all  the 
children  that  were  in  Bethlehem  to 
the  sword.  From  the  white  city  on 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      43 

the  mountain  height  a  cry  went  up — 
women  weeping  for  their  children, 
who  would  not  be  comforted  because 
they  were  not. 

"  In  Egypt  work  was  hard  to  find; 
the  roads  were  hot  and  Joseph  grew 
old  through  poverty.  Homesickness 
came  upon  us  for  Nazareth,  for  its 
olive-groves,  its  sheepfolds  and  its 
shadowy  twilights.  Then  word  came 
to  us  that  Herod  was  dead  and  that 
Archelaus  reigned  in  the  room  of  his 
father.  So  we  returned  to  the  car- 
penter's shop,  with  naught  left  to  us 
of  all  these  glories  save  only  the 
golden  caskets.  The  rest — the  rest 
thou  knowest." 


Ill 

ROM     behind     them     the 
breathing       of       Joseph 
came   softly.     Upon   the 
face   of  Jesus   the   tears 
of  Mary  fell. 

He  sat  as  one  entranced,  awestruck 
and  smiling,  thinking  of  the  three 
great  Persian  lords,  and  of  the  many 
camels  which  were  like  a  river,  and 
of  the  waving  torches.  Whither  had 
they  sailed  in  the  ships  from  Tar- 
shish,  and  had  the  star,  which  was 
like  a  lantern,  still  gone  before  them? 
Then  he  thought  of  Herod,  and  of 
the  old  age  that  Egypt  had  brought 
upon  Joseph. 

44 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS'     45 

"  I  was  so  small;  wherefore  did  he 
wish  to  kill  me?  " 

"  Because  of  the  question  that  the 
lords  had  asked,  calling  thee  the 
King  of  the  Jews." 

"  It  is  the  game  at  which  I  play 
with  the  village  boys.  Mother,  but 
am  I ?" 

She  pressed  her  lips  against  his  to 
silence  them.  "  Thou  art  a  child,  the 
son  of  Mary.  Herod  was  not  good; 
he  feared  lest  God  should  wrest  his 
throne  from  him." 

Jesus  laughed,  holding  up  his 
hands  in  the  moonlight  and  spread- 
ing wide  his  fingers. 

Mary  took  his  hands  and  bent  over 
him.  "  Why  dost  thou  laugh  ?  " 

"Because  they  are  so  small;  yet 
thou  sayest  that  he  feared  them. 
Archelaus  is  King  of  the  Jews,  while 


46     THE   SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 

I  lack  bread.  Mother,  dost  thou 
think  that  when  I  am  a  man  I  shall 
wrest  his  throne  from  him?" 

"Hush!"  She  clutched  him  to 
her.  "  Say  no  more.  Say  nothing 
of  what  I  have  told  thee.  If  any 

should  have  heard  thee Thou  art 

young.  Think  no  more  of  it.  Let 
it  be  as  a  dream  that  thou  wilt  for- 
get shortly." 

"  But  it  was  no  dream.  Thou 
didst  say  it  was  no  dream." 

"  Nay,  it  was  no  dream,"  she  whis- 
pered. 

A  true  story!  He  sat  in  thought. 
He,  who  wore  a  sheepskin  coat  and 
helped  in  the  carpenter's  shop  and 
went  about  with  Joseph  remember- 
ing his  measurements — he  was  the 
son  of  God. 

"  It   is   my  seventh   birthday,"   he 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS     47 

said;  "let  me  look  into  the  golden 
caskets." 

In  the  barrenness  of  the  present, 
her  heart  cried  out  for  such  a  con- 
firmation of  the  glories  that  were 
past.  Rising,  she  entered  the  shop 
on  tiptoe  for  fear  of  waking  Joseph. 
From  the  place  where  she  had  hid- 
den them  in  readiness  for  the  arrival 
of  charioteers  and  horsemen  who 
should  summon  her  son  to  his  crown- 
ing, she  brought  them  forth;  with 
them  she  brought  the  royal  robe  that 
she  had  woven.  In  the  shuttered 
street,  with  nothing  stirring  save  the 
distant  flocks  and  none  to  watch  her 
save  the  stars,  she  put  the  robe  upon 
him.  When,  looking  down  at  the 
kingly  shadow  that  he  cast,  his  eyes 
danced  with  gladness  and  he  clapped 
his  hands  childishly,  she  caught  his 


48     THE  SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

excitement.  How  often  she  had 
longed  to  array  him  in  these  splen- 
dors! Surely  tonight,  late  though  it 
was,  some  sign  would  come  to  tell 
her  that  God's  angels  still  kept  guard. 
Tremblingly  opening  the  first  casket, 
she  drew  forth  the  crown  and  set  it 
shining  on  his  forehead.  "  It  is  for 
Power,"  she  said.  From  the  second 
she  drew  forth  the  frankincense  and 
scattered  it  upon  his  raiment.  "  It 
is  for  Worship."  But  the  third  cas- 
ket, containing  the  gift  which  signi- 
fieth  Death,  she  did  not  open. 

As  she  watched  him  on  the  thresh- 
old of  the  carpenter's  shop,  palely 
attired,  with  the  moonlight  throw- 
ing a  halo  round  him,  the  sorrow  of 
her  long  waiting  was  forgotten.  Her 
thoughts  fled  back  to  the  garden  of 
her  girlhood  and  the  angel  who  had 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      49 

come  to  her  out  of  the  sunset.  It 
was  enough,  though  all  the  world 
was  careless,  that  she  was  left  faith- 
ful. Falling  on  her  knees,  with  her 
arms  about  him,  she  sang  whisper- 
ingly  the  hymn  of  her  thankfulness: 
"  My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord 
and  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  God 
my  Saviour.  For  he  that  is  mighty 
hath  done  to  me  great  things — hath 
done  to  me  great  things " 

Her  faith  stumbled;  suddenly  she 
remembered  that  her  child  was  hun- 
gry— her  child,  whom  she  shared 
with  God.  Then,  because  he  was 
smiling,  she  took  new  courage,  "  and 
holy  is  his  name." 

She  had  sung  thus  far  when  Jesus 
held  up  his  hand,  listening  and  say- 
ing nothing.  At  first  she  thought 
he  had  heard  Joseph  stirring;  the 


50     THE  SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

sound  of  a  man  sleeping  still  fell 
gently.  She  turned  her  head,  sup- 
posing that  in  the  street  he  had  seen 
some  one  coming.  Then  she,  too, 
heard  it — the  thud-thud-thudding  of 
a  swiftly  approaching  camel  and  a 
voice  which  panted  on  the  night, 
"Where  is  he?— Where  is  he?" 
The  question  got  no  farther,  for  the 
breath  of  the  rider  came  sobbingly. 

Through  olive-groves,  bare  of 
leaves,  a  dromedary  came  racing, 
swaying  and  staggering  from  weari- 
ness. It  was  the  kind  that  princes 
ride,  when  they  pass  through  Naza- 
reth to  the  bazaar  at  Damascus;  but 
it  came  unfollowed  and  solitary. 
From  its  neck  hung  a  silver  bell 
which  tinkled.  It  was  caparisoned 
in  purple  and  gold;  but  the  purple 
had  faded  and  the  gold  was  tar- 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      51 

nished.  Upon  it  sat  a  man,  gaunt 
and  haggard,  whose  raiment  was 
gray  with  the  dust  of  travel.  He 
leant  peering  forward;  his  throat  was 
parched,  so  that  at  times  when  his 
lips  moved  he  uttered  nothing. 

Urging  his  beast,  he  rode  past  the 
threshing-floor  and  commenced  the 
ascent  into  Nazareth.  Between  shut- 
tered houses,  casting  his  eyes  from 
side  to  side,  he  whispered  as  he  ap- 
proached, "Where  is  he? — Where  is 
he?"  As  though  he  had  been  the 
survivor  of  a  lost  army,  the  memory 
of  defeat  clung  upon  him. 

Kneeling  beside  Jesus,  Mary 
watched.  All  day  she  had  waited 
for  ambassadors  and  lordly  caravans, 
for  a  repetition  of  that  first  miracu- 
lous Christmas;  now,  while  the  world 
slept,  came  this  lonely  man,  fleeing 


52     THE  SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

through  the  night  like  a  shadow. 
He  seemed  half  blind.  He  would 
have  gone  by  the  carpenter's  shop, 
but  Mary  rose  to  her  feet.  He 
halted. 

"  Where  is  he  who  is  born  King 
of  the  Jews?  "  he  questioned  hoarsely. 
"  Once,  when  I  was  young,  on  such 
a  night  as  this  I  found  him.  To- 
night there  are  many  stars,  but  no 
star  to  guide  me." 

She  came  out  from  the  shadow  and 
stared  up  into  the  face  of  the  stran- 
ger. "  Whence  art  thou?  " 

Bending  down  from  his  drome- 
dary, he  gazed  at  her  puzzled,  as 
though  she  brought  memories. 
"  From  the  East,"  he  whispered;  his 
voice  was  like  the  sound  of  a  woman 
sobbing.  '  We  had  waited  so  long, 
I  who  was  young,  and  Melchior  who 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      53 

was  old,  and  Balthazar  who  was  mid- 
way between  us.  At  last  we  found 
him,  and  all  the  gods  of  Persia  fell 
upon  their  faces  and  called  him 
blessed.  Again  we  have  waited.  We 
have  lost  him,  and  the  East  grows 
doubting;  for  the  world  hath  not 
changed  from  what  it  was.  It  seems 
a  dream — all  that  we  thought  once 
happened.  Melchior  is  dying;  he 
longs  for  certainty.  So  without  a 
star  to  guide  me,  because  my  faith 
is  greatest,  I,  who  am  the  youngest 
of  we  three  kings,  have  journeyed 
forth.  Where  is  he  who  is  born  King 
of  the  Jews?  If  thou  canst  tell  me, 

I  will  give  thee But  I  can  give 

thee  nothing,  for  I  have  spent  my 
all  in  the  searching.  Out  of  kind- 
ness canst  thou  tell  me?" 

Mary   turned   her   head,   glancing 


54      THE   SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 

back  across  her  shoulder.  The  gaze 
of  the  youngest  lord  followed.  Grop- 
ingly he  descended.  His  eyes  met 
the  eyes  of  the  child.  In  the  moon- 
light he  saw  the  crown  which  shone 
upon  his  forehead,  the  white  robe 
which  garbed  him,  and  the  three 
golden  caskets,  two  of  them  open, 
which  lay  at  his  feet  before  him. 
The  fragrance  of  frankincense  stole 
upon  the  air,  making  the  night  a 
temple. 

"  It  is  true.  It  is  true.  It  was 
no  dream." 

Running  forward  he  would  have 
bowed  himself  in  worship,  but  some- 
thing stopped  him.  Was  it  his  own 
loneliness,  or  the  loneliness  of  the 
childish  kingly  figure?  Instead,  he 
took  him  in  his  arms. 

"  I    came    to   thee    before    with   a 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      55 

lordly  train  and  trumpets  blowing," 
he  whispered;  "now  I  come  to  thee 
stained  with  the  dust  of  tcavel  and 
empty-handed.  What  is  there  I  can 
give  thee?  " 

Jesus  stroked  the  haggard  face. 
"  It  is  my  seventh  birthday,  and  my 
mother  is  hungry." 

From  about  his  waist  the  lord  un- 
loosed a  pouch  in  which  were  bread 
and  dates.  Sitting  in  the  doorway 
of  the  carpenter's  shop,  he  spread 
them  out  before  Jesus  and  his 
mother. 

'  Were  I  in  my  own  country,"  he 
said,  "  I  would  give  thee  a  palace  of 
white  marble,  with  fountains  playing 
and  hanging  gardens  and  slaves  to 
serve  thee.  Here  I  am  poor;  but 
such  as  I  have  I  give  thee." 

When   the   meal   was   ended   they 


56      THE   SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 

talked,  and  Jesus  laughed  and  sang 
to  them;  but  always  softly  for  fear 
of  disturbing  Joseph.  "  The  Lord  is 
my  shepherd ;  I  shall  not  want."  And 
he  taught  his  song  to  the  young  lord 
that  when  he  returned  to  his  own 
people  he  might  say,  "  It  is  thus  that 
the  little  Jesus  singeth." 

The  night  wore  on.  The  Persian 
lord  would  have  stayed  till  morning 
for  the  delight  he  had  in  holding  the 
son  of  Mary.  But  Mary  reminded 
him,  "  Melchior  is  old  and  dying.  It 
is  a  long  journey.  What  can  we  send 
to  him  to  make  him  certain?" 

Then  they  thought  of  the  crown; 
but  he  himself  had  given  it  and  might 
be  offended.  And  they  thought  of 
the  frankincense;  but  that  was  all 
gone.  There  was  nothing  in  the 
shop  to  send  him  save  the  carpenter's 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      57 

tools,  which  would  prove  nothing; 
moreover,  Joseph  would  need  them 
for  finishing  the  ox-yoke  in  the 
morning. 

The  child  spoke,  "  Let  us  send  him 
the  third  casket,  for  it  hath  not  been 
opened." 

"  Nay,"  said  Mary,  for  she  knew 
what  it  contained:  myrrh,  which  sig- 
nifieth  Death — a  gift  to  every  man 
of  woman  born. 

But  Jesus  freed  himself  from  the 
arms  of  the  young  lord  and  brought 
it  to  him.  "  I  will  open  it,"  he  said, 
"  and  look  just  once,  for  it  was  thy 
gift  to  me." 

When  he  raised  the  lid,  a  dazzling 
light  burst  forth,  so  that  all  save 
Jesus  was  blinded.  But  Jesus  clapped 
his  hands  and  laughed,  for  instead  of 
the  gift  which  signifieth  Death,  out 


58     THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS 

from  the  casket  drifted  the  star. 
When  the  Persian  lord  saw  it  float- 
ing up  into  the  heavens,  he  fell  on 
his  knees  and  worshipped. 

"  The  star  which  we  had  lost!  "  he 
cried.  '  The  star  which  we  had 
lost!" 

Halting  above  the  carpenter's  shop, 
dimming  even  the  moon  by  the 
brightness  of  its  shining,  it  waited 
for  him  to  follow. 

Holding  the  hand  of  Jesus,  Mary 
stood  gazing  down  the  village  street, 
watching  him  depart.  Directly  he 
was  mounted,  the  star  moved  east- 
ward toward  the  dawn,  going  to 
bring  faith  to  the  dying  eyes  of 
Melchior.  Only  once,  when  at  the 
point  of  vanishing  the  Persian  lord 
drew  up  to  wave  his  hand,  did  it 
stay  its  march  across  the  heavens. 


THE   SEVENTH   CHRISTMAS      59 

When  the  thudding  of  the  drome- 
dary had  died  out  in  the  olive-groves, 
they  returned  to  the  doorway  of  the 
carpenter's  shop.  As  they  sat  there 
in  the  grayness  of  the  morning,  Mary 
slumbered  and  the  little  Jesus  drew 
her  robe  about  her  to  keep  her  warm. 
Then  he  took  the  crown  from  off  his 
forehead  and  set  it  back  in  its  cas- 
ket. And  he  took  off  his  kingly  gar- 
ment and  put  on  his  sheepskin  jacket; 
for  he  knew  that  soon  the  people  of 
Nazareth  would  be  stirring  and  they 
would  wonder  to  see  him  thus  ap- 
pareled. And  he  said  to  himself,  "  I 
am  nearly  a  man.  Am  I  not  seven?  " 
So  he  did  what  he  had  never  done 
before — he  took  Joseph's  tools  and 
he  worked  upon  the  ox-yoke. 

Now  when  Mary  wakened  and  re- 
membered, she  thought  she  had  been 


60     THE   SEVENTH    CHRISTMAS 

dreaming.  But  when  she  searched 
for  the  third  casket,  which  had  con- 
tained the  gift  that  signifieth  Death, 
it  was  gone. 

While  she  was  still  troubled  in  her 
spirit,  Joseph  awoke,  uttering  a  glad 
cry,  and  called  her  to  him.  By  the 
bench  she  found  him  marveling,  for 
the  ox-yoke  was  finished  and  the  lit- 
tle Jesus  lay  asleep  on  the  shavings 
in  the  corner. 

Bending  over  the  childish  hands, 
she  saw  that  they  were  blistered  with 
toil  for  her.  Then  she  fell  to  smiling 
and  weeping.  "  Of  a  truth,"  she 
whispered,  "  he  is  the  son  of  God." 

THE   END 


**\ 

-  ^  w 


/>.. 


